Amending Chapter 9-400 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Carriers," by requiring all providers of school bus services operating school buses within the City of Philadelphia to provide school buses with three point seatbelt restraint systems for all students using said school buses.

WHEREAS, There are many proponents for school safety who believe that the inclusion of three point seat belt restraint systems would cut down on possible accidents and promote safety; and

WHEREAS, The National Coalition for School Bus Safety, The American Academy of Pediatrics, and The Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital have studied the issue and now promote the installation of three point seat belt restraint systems on school buses; and

WHEREAS, The NTSB crash testing showed that school bus passengers were better protected from head injury with a lap/shoulder belt compared with compartmentalization and lap belts only. This lap/shoulder belt system would provide protection for crash-related injuries in school buses similar to that in other motor vehicles; and

WHEREAS, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is currently undergoing a possible rule-making process that may incorporate three point seat belt restraint systems into school bus safety procedures; and

WHEREAS, The presently approved method of providing school bus safety known as compartmentalization may prevent injuries from front or rear end collisions but it does not provide support in side impact collisions and accidents due to swerving of the bus where children are thrown sideways and out of their seats; and

WHEREAS, The installation of a three point seat belt restraint system would provide a level of safety from all possible collisions and provide a level of comfort to students and parents; and

WHEREAS, The installation of three point seat belt restraint systems either as new installations in newly constructed buses or retrofit systems in present school buses would provide the needed safety for children being transported in a school bus; now therefore,

THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA HEREBY ORDAINS:

SECTION 1. Chapter 9-400 of The Philadelphia Code is hereby amended to read as follows:

CHAPTER 9-400. CARRIERS.

§9-409. School Buses.

SECTION 2. This Ordinance shall become effective September 2008.

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